Beverage-dispensing apparatus having transverse and vertical rows of bottles

ABSTRACT

Bottles are supported in transverse and vertical rows clamped to a rack to provide for rapid replacement of bottles, sealed attachment to a dispensing system and introduction of regulated compressed air and withdrawal of contents from the bottles. The bottles may be connected in series or parallel.

United States Patent [72] Inventor [21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [54] BEVERAGE-DISPENSING APPARATUS HAVING TRANSVERSE AND VERTICAL ROWS F BOTTLES 18 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 222/136 i] Int. Cl i 867d 5/52 Field of Search 222/132, 136, I45

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,256,550 9/l94l Colvin 222/136 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg At!0rney-John M. Diehl ABSTRACT: Bottles are supported in transverse and vertical rows clamped to a rack to provide for rapid replacement of bottles, sealed attachment to a dispensing system and introduction of regulated compressed air and withdrawal ofcontents from the bottles. The bottles may be connected in series or parallel.

REGULATOR 2 s3 e3 e3 66 6| COMPRESSOR 65 65 PATENTEDunv 23 I97! 3. 6 22.046

SHEET 1 [IF 3 REGULATOR COMPRESSOR I W/ INVENTOR. I M-- 69 THOMAS M. BYRNE e7 1 j 1 BY FIG 8 Q ATTORNEY PATENTEDN 23 I9?! 3, 622,0d6

SHEET 2 OF 3 FIG 9 $8. REGULATOR 62 l|2c m 60%} F 5.9,

L GFL s5 65 65 6c COMPRESSSZRQ \IZZ} 67 I f:

U Li L THOMAS M. BYRNE INVENTOR. FIG IO ATTORNEY BEVERAGE-DISPENSING APPARATUS HAVING TRANSVERSE AND VERTICAL ROWS OF BOTTLES CROSS-REFERENCES This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 772,995 filed Nov. 4, I968, now abandoned, having the same title, which was a continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 593,464 filed Nov. 10, 1966 for Liquid Dispensing Device issuing Nov. 5, I968, as US. Pat. No. 3,409,] 75.

FIELD This invention relates to dispensing means and more particularly to apparatus to support a plurality of bottles in con joint relationship. The apparatus is particularly adapted to be utilized with the apparatus described in US. Pat. No. 3,409,175.

PRIOR ART It is known to provide bottles in a rack with the bottles having their axes all tilted and parallel and disposed in transverse lateral and vertical rows, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. l,973,854; 1,9 I 5,496 and the like but no means has been provided to provide for clamping of such bottles to a rack, to provide a sealed closure for each bottle supported by the clamping means, to provide for sealed interconnection of the bottles to each other and to provide means for providing compressed air and means for metering liquid dispensed from the bottles. Particularly the herein disclosed and claimed means have not been shown.

SUMMARY Means heretofore proposed for supporting bottles in interconnecting relationship to dispense the contents of the bottles have been clumsy, have not provided adequate positive sealing for the bottles, have provided arrangements in which it is difficult to replace bottles and have provided means in which it is difficult or impossible to provide for variation, in accordance with the choice of the operator, in disposition of bottles containing different beverages and interconnection of such bottles in accordance with the operators choice.

The present apparatus provides means which, on the other hand, provide for easy access to each bottle in the device, provide for positive sealing of each bottle in the device, provide for easy removal of empty bottles, provide for easy installation of full bottles and make it possible for the operator to arrange bottles containing different beverages in any chosen pattern and to connect these bottles either in series or in parallel in any manner most suitable to his business.

OBJECTS It is therefore an object to provide means for supporting bottles which provides for easy access to each bottle supported.-

Another object is to provide such apparatus wherein means is provided to interconnect the bottles in any chosen manner.

Another object is to provide such apparatus wherein bottles of widely varying sizes and shapes, including bottles having different neck sizes, may be accommodated.

Other objects will become apparent from the drawings and from the following detailed description in which it is intended to illustrate the applicability of the invention without thereby limiting its scope to less than that of all equivalents which will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

DRAWINGS In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts and:

FIG. I is a schematic elevation from one side;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 22 in FIG. I, tubing shown in FIG. I being omitted;

FIG. 3 is a detailed elevation of a clamping device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed enlarged cross-sectional view taken on lines 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the closure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view from below of a closure of which FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view;

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow diagram;

FIG. 9 is a schematic elevation corresponding to FIG. I, of a modified embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional'view taken on lines [0-10 in FIG. 9, tubing shown in FIG. 9 being omitted;

FIG. 11 is a perspective partially cutaway partially cross sectional view of a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7; and

FIG. 12 is a modified schematic flow diagram.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a rack comprising vertical member l0 and horizontal members II attached thereto. Attached to members 11 there are provided clamping devices 12a, 12b, 12c, 13a, 13:, 14a and 1511, each shown schematically and attached to members 11 by means not shown. Supported in said clamping members are provided necked glass receptacles, illustrated as bottles 16a, 16b, 166, 17a, 17b, 176, 18a and 19a. Bottles 16a, 16b and constitute a transverse row of a plurality of bottles, as do bottles 17a, 17b and 17c, so that each of the bottles is in a transverse row of a plurality of bottles. Likewise bottles 18a and l9a are each in such a transverse row, the other bottles in each row being hidden. Bottles 16a and 17a constitute a vertical row of bottles wherein a plurality of bottles is in a row and each of the bottles is thus in a vertical row of a plurality of bottles. The same is true of bottles 16b and 17b, also 16 c and 170, also 18a and 19a. Bottles 16a and 18a constitute a lateral row of a plurality of bottles so that each of these two bottles is in such a row. The same is true of bottles 17a and 19a. By reason of bottles disposed behind and obscured by bottles 16b, 16c, 17b and 17:2, the same is true of each of these bottles. Each of the bottles has an axis as illustrated for bottles 16a and 16b by axes 20 and 21. All of said axes are parallel and each is tilted at from 10 to 30 from the vertical as shown for axis 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the clamping device indicated generally as 25 may comprise a main frame 26 which may consist of a single piece as shown, cut from an aluminum extrusion. It may be attached to members II by threaded means as shown. Slidably received in a passage suitably provided in frame member 26 there is provided supporting member 27 as shown. Supporting member 27 is provided with a member or pad 28 of resilient material to act against the bottom of a receptacle such as receptacle 50, shown in dotted lines, which may be clamped in device 25. This member may be attached to member 27 by screw means as shown.

Means may be provided to prevent member 27 from slidably dropping away from main frame 26. Such means may comprise a roll pin 30 extending from member 27 which may engage a roll pin 29 extending through the walls of member 26. In place of roll pins there may of course be used threaded members, pins attached by sweating or welding or other suitable means.

Attached to main frame member 26 and extending laterally therefrom there is provided a closure-supporting member 21 which may be a square beam. Closure member 35 is supported therefrom, for example, by reason of being provided with an internal square passage 36 which may be received in pressedfit relationship on beam 31 so that no other means of retention is necessary.

To hold the receptacle in adequate sealing relationship to closure 35 there may be provided thumbscrew 32 received in a portion of frame 26 adapted to engage member 27 so that it is fixedly releasably positioned with respect to the main frame. Member 28 may thus be held firmly against the bottom of the receptacle to thereby cause the neck of the receptacle to be suitably engaged with the closure as hereinafter described.

A first passage 37 and a second passage 38 are provided extending upwardly and downwardly through closure 35. The walls of passage 37 are defined in part by an upwardly extending portion 39 adapted to receive a flexible tube in communicating relation thereto and also in part by a downwardly extending portion 40 adapted to receive a flexible dip tube in communicating relation thereto. The walls of passage 38 are defined in part by an upwardly extending portion 41 adapted to receive a flexible tube in communicating relation thereto and in part by tubular means 42 disposed to project into the neck of the receptacle. Sleeve 43 may be received on portion 42. Sleeve 43 is made of resilient material and is provided with a conical outer surface as shown. The closure may be made to accommodate bottles having larger neck sizes by replacing sleeve 43 with a sleeve having a larger diameter and likewise the closure may be made to accommodate bottles having narrower necks by replacing sleeve 43 with a sleeve having a lesser outer diameter.

Portion 39 may be adapted to receive flexible tube 53 thereon in sealed communicating relation thereto. Likewise portion 41 may receive flexible tube 52 thereon in sealed communicating relation therewith and portion 40 may receive flexible dip tube 51 thereon, in sealed communicating relation therewith, all ofsaid flexible tubes being shown in dotted lines.

Referring now to FIG. 8 there is provided compressor means 60 to provide compressed air and regulator means 61 to regulate the pressure of air delivered therefrom. Such air at a regulated pressure such as 20 p.s.i. may be introduced through line 63 into a plurality of lines 62 which may correspond to line 52 in FIG. 6. Air may be introduced into receptacles 64 which may correspond to receptacles 16a, 16b, 16c and 50. The contents of receptacles 64 may flow out therefrom through lines 65 which may correspond to lines 51 and 53 and passage 37 connecting them into line 66 whence it may be delivered to metering means such as described in US. Pat. No. 3,409,175. Thus containers 64 are connected in parallel.

Alternatively such regulated air may be supplied through a line such as line 67, which may correspond to line 52, to the interior of the first of a row of receptacles 63. The first passage, corresponding to passage 37, may be connected to the second passage of the closure in the next receptacle and the first passage of the second receptacle may be connected to the second of the third as shown so that the contents of each receptacle in the line are first emptied into the next receptacle in line and so forth until the end of the line is reached. The contents of the last receptacle may flow through a line such as 69 to a metering means as before mentioned. Thus, receptacles 68 may be said to be connected in series.

Such series connection of receptacles is also indicated by the unnumbered tubes shown connecting receptacles 16a, 16b and 160, respectively, and 17a, 17b and 170, respectively, in FIG. 1.

It may be noted that interconnection of the receptacles may be made in any manner chosen by the operator. Thus some receptacles may be connected in series and some in parallel. Some receptacles in the plurality of receptacles supported in the device may be thus interconnected in one way or another and other receptacles may not be interconnected but may have compressed air introduced thereinto through the second passage and contents delivered directly to metering means through the first passage of the closure for such receptacle.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and it may be noted that a plurality of receptacles (which may be glass bottles) 116a, 116b, 1160, 117a, 117b, 117c may be supported respectively in clamping devices 1120, 112b, 1120, 113a, 113b, 1130 which in turn may be attached to wall 111. Unlike the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 the axis of the bottles need not be tilted and whereas each bottle is disposed in a vertical row of a plurality of bottles and each of the bottles is disposed in a transverse row of a plurality of bottles, the bottles need not be disposed in a lateral row of a plurality of bottles. The embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 may be applied if desired to a rack comprising members such as 10 and 11 as shown in FIGS. land 2.

In FIG. 11 is shown a clamping device indicated generally as which constitutes a modification of the clamping device of FIGS. 3-7. Members 26, 27 and 32 are identical with those previously described in conjunction with FIGS. 3-7 and operate in the same manner to serve the same purpose. Likewise 28' corresponds to member 28 and serves the same purpose in the same manner. Roll pins, though not shown in FIG. 11, may be provided corresponding to roll pins 29 and 30 and serving the same purpose. In place of members 31 and 35 there may be provided metal members 120 and 121 which may be attached to member 26 by threaded means as shown and may be attached to each other by threaded means at 122 and 123. Clamped between members 121 and 120 by virtue of the action of members 122 and 123 there may be provided bent tubes I24 and which may be of stainless steel or like material. In contact with the lower edges of members 120 and 121 there may be provided a disc or washerlike member 126 provided with two holes to receive tubes 124 and 125. Below member 126 and in contact therewith there may be provided a resilient sealing member 43' having a conical outside surface. Member 43 may correspond to sleeve 43 and may be provided in different sizes for the same purpose and in the same manner as may sleeve 43. Received on the upper outwardly extending portions of tubes 124 and 125 may be flexible tubes (not shown for simplicity) such as tubes 53 and 52 for the purpose of providing communication with bottles in other rows and likewise a tube such as tube 51 may be similarly connected to provide a flexible dip tube.

The device of FIG. 11 may be incorporated in a system such as that of FIG. 8 in the same manner as described in conjunction with the embodiment of FIGS. 3-7. Devices corresponding to device 110 may be incorporated as clamping devices in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and similarly devices corresponding to the device of FIGS. 3-7 may be provided as clamping devices in the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring now to FIG. 12 there is shown a schematic flow diagram corresponding to FIG. 8 wherein there is provided in each of lines 62 and 67 an accumulator, respectively 81 and 82, each ofwhich may consist ofa bottle supported in inverted position in a clamping and sealing means which may be device 25 or device 110. Each of accumulators 81 and 82 may serve to prevent variance of pressure in lines 62 and 67 respectively and facilitate purging of the following bottles in the line to help to provide the desired standard of accuracy for amounts dispensed when the invention is used with the apparatus described in Us. Pat. No. 3,409,175.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications of the apparatus described may be made without departing from the intended scope of the description. For the purpose of accomplishing the above-described objects the claims are intended to include such modifications as may be made within the limits defined by the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising the combination of:

a plurality ofnecked glass receptacles,

each receptacle having an axis,

The axes ofall said receptacles being substantially parallel,

each of said receptacles being in a transverse row ofa plurality ofsaid receptacles, and

in a vertical row ofa plurality ofsaid receptacles,

a rack,

each receptacle attached to said rack by a clamping device,

each of said devices comprising a main frame,

a member extending laterally from said main frame,

closure means supported by said laterally extending member,

a supporting member to act against the bottom of the receptacle, said supporting member received slidably in said main frame,

means to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame,

said closure means comprising first and second passages extending upwardly and downwardly therethrough,

each of said passages provided with upwardly extending means to receive a flexible tube in attached communicating relation thereto,

said first passage provided with downwardly extending means to receive a flexible dip tube in attached communicating relation thereto,

flexible tube means connecting said passages,

compressor means to provide compressed air,

means to regulate the pressure of said air,

flexible tube means to introduce air at such regulated pressure into at least one receptacle in each row through one of said second passages,

flexible tube means communicating with said first passages to deliver contents from the receptacles with which said passages communicate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said closure means comprises tubular means to project into the neck of said receptacle and is provided with a sealing member of resilient material received on said tubular means, said sealing member having a conically shaped outer surface to seal against an internal surface portion of said neck.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacles are connected in series.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an accumulator is provided in each of said tube means to introduce air.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 provided with means to prevent said supporting member from slidably dropping away from said main frame.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein setscrew means are provided to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said main frame is a single member and consists of a portion cut from an aluminum extrusion.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said supporting members is provided with a member of resilient material to bear against the bottom of the receptacle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 for dispensing beverages comprising the combination of:

a plurality of necked glass receptacles,

each receptacle having an axis,

the axes of all said receptacles being substantially parallel,

each axis tilted at from 10 to 30 from vertical,

each of said receptacles being in a transverse row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a lateral row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a vertical row of a plurality of said receptacles,

a rack,

each receptacle attached to said rack by a clamping device,

each of said devices comprising a mainframe, a member extending laterally from said main frame, a closure supported by said laterally extending members, a supporting member to act against the bottom of the receptacle, said supporting member received slidably in said main frame, means to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame, said closure comprising first and second passages extending upwardly and downwardly therethrough, each of said passages provided with upwardly extending means to receive a flexible tube in attached communicating relation thereto, said first passage provided with downwardly extending means to receive a flexible dip tube in attached communicating relation thereto, flexible tube means connecting said passages, compressor means to provide compressed air, means to regulate the pressure of said air, flexible tube means to introduce air at such regulated pressure into at least one receptacle in each row through one of said second passages, flexible tube means communicating with said first passages to deliver contents from the receptacles with which said passages communicate.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said closure comprises tubular means to project into the neck of said receptacle and is provided with a sleeve of resilient material received on said tubular means, said sleeve having a conically shaped outer surface to seal against an internal surface portion of said neck.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said closure is a single plastic injection molding.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said receptacles are connected in series.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said receptacles are connected in parallel.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 provided with means to prevent said supporting member from slidably dropping away from said main frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein setscrew means are provided to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said main frame is a single member and consists of a portion cut from an aluminum extrusion.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said laterally extending member is a square beam and is received in a laterally ex tending square passage in said closure.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of said supporting members is provided with a member of resilient material to bear against the bottom of the receptacle. 

1. Apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising the combination of: a plurality of necked glass receptacles, each receptacle having an axis, The axes of all said receptacles being substantially parallel, each of said receptacles being in a transverse row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a vertical row of a plurality of said receptacles, a rack, each receptacle attached to said rack by a clamping device, each of said devices comprising a main frame, a member extending laterally from said main frame, closure means supported by said laterally extending member, a supporting member to act against the bottom of the receptacle, said supporting member received slidably in said main frame, means to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame, said closure means comprising first and second passages extending upwardly and downwardly therethrough, each of said passages provided with upwardly extending means to receive a flexible tube in attached communicating relation thereto, said first passage provided with downwardly extending means to receive a flexible dip tube in attached communicating relation thereto, flexible tube means connecting said passages, compressor means to provide compressed air, means to regulate the pressure of said air, flexible tube means to introduce air at such regulated pressure into at least one receptacle in each row through one of said second passages, flexible tube means communicating with said first passages to deliver contents from the receptacles with which said passages communicate.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said closure means comprises tubular means to project into the neck of said receptacle and is provided with a sealing member of resilient material received on said tubular means, said sealing member having a conically shaped outer surface to seal against an internal surface portion of said neck.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacles are connected in series.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an accumulator is provided in each of said tube means to introduce air.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 provided with means to prevent said supporting member from slidably dropping away from said main frame.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein setscrew means are provided to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said main frame is a single member and consists of a portion cut from an aluminum extrusion.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said supporting members is provided with a member of resilient material to bear against the bottom of the receptacle.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 for dispensing beverages comprising the combination of: a plurality of necked glass receptacles, each receptacle having an axis, the axes of all said receptacles being substantially parallel, each axis tilted at from 10* to 30* from vertical, each of said receptacles being in a transverse row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a lateral row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a vertical row of a plurality of said receptacles, a rack, each receptacle attached to said rack by a clamping device, each of said devices comprising a mainframe, a member extending laterally from said main frame, a closure supported by said laterally extending members, a supporting member to act against the bottom of the receptacle, said supporting member received slidably in said main frame, means to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame, said closure comprising first and second passages extending upwardly and downwardly therethrouGh, each of said passages provided with upwardly extending means to receive a flexible tube in attached communicating relation thereto, said first passage provided with downwardly extending means to receive a flexible dip tube in attached communicating relation thereto, flexible tube means connecting said passages, compressor means to provide compressed air, means to regulate the pressure of said air, flexible tube means to introduce air at such regulated pressure into at least one receptacle in each row through one of said second passages, flexible tube means communicating with said first passages to deliver contents from the receptacles with which said passages communicate.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said closure comprises tubular means to project into the neck of said receptacle and is provided with a sleeve of resilient material received on said tubular means, said sleeve having a conically shaped outer surface to seal against an internal surface portion of said neck.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said closure is a single plastic injection molding.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said receptacles are connected in series.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said receptacles are connected in parallel.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9 provided with means to prevent said supporting member from slidably dropping away from said main frame.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein setscrew means are provided to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said main frame is a single member and consists of a portion cut from an aluminum extrusion.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said laterally extending member is a square beam and is received in a laterally extending square passage in said closure.
 18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of said supporting members is provided with a member of resilient material to bear against the bottom of the receptacle. 